Room Mom Has Wild Hair up Her Butt

How about wrapping the bag or box juice to resemble presents? It's festive, and not a recipe for disaster. Room mom is out of her mind here!

Take it from a teacher and the room parent from my child's classroom since kindergarten. Juice pouches or juice boxes are less messy, and for excitable younger kids, cleaner is better. Talk to the teacher about it and see what he or she prefers as far as cleanliness or whatever. But going to trouble over this woman is only gonna make her feel she can push you around all year long.

If you don't wanna fight her, you could always offer chocolate milk boxes as well as juice or make some red and green ice cubes and let them have colored cubes in their drinks.

I would not suggest any soda or red dye drinks though. Parents can get all funny about that stuff.

I'd take juice boxes and come up with a nice way to tell this lady to kiss my rear. I'm sorry but these kids are what 6, and 7? They don't want anything strange or fancy or outside the box. And avoid punch with pop in it, I know to many parents who would be ticked if their kid got pop at school at that age.

Sorry--I know this reply is late. Didn't you get the memo? "Wild Hair Up Her Butt" is a specific prerequisite for the Room mom position! LOL LOL

I would FOR SURE get Juice boxes AND Capri Suns. But that's me! :)

Here's an idea...
Why not get a couple of those 12 packs of the 8 oz kids water bottles? You could write all the kids' names on sticky gift tags, and stick the label/tags right onto the bottle. You could stick a mini-bow on top of the cap. Or curling ribbon in Christmas colors tied around the neck of the little bottles.

No worries about kids being "sugared up" (from the beverage anyway), there is no mess (it's just water--not something sticky or that will stain if it spills), and here's a big one: NOT ALL KIDS LIKE CAPRI-SUN! :))

My kid would not drink Capri-sun or any other packaged (or right out of a bottle at home) juices. Or soda of any kind. Here's what she drank: Water. Milk. Gator-aid (blue). That's IT. She's 10 now and STILL prefers water to almost any sort of soft drink or juice beverage.

As long as the little bottles are chilled, the kids will probably love them. Mine would. :)

ETA: Added bonus: whatever they don't drink, they can put the cap back on and take it home with them!

..... think outside the box??

These are 1st graders. They are going to be more interested in jumping around with all the activities that are likely to coincide with their "dining hour". I bet you have all sorts of surplus time on your hands to try to get creative about liquid refreshments for a 1st grader's Christmas party. I know I catalogue and alphabetize my suggestions, and then laminate them and put them in color-coded binders.

Not.

What a dumbassed shrew this broad is!

The red juice being called "winter berry punch" is a great idea, by the way.

E.

I agree, juice boxes and a few waters (a few kids won't want juice). Kids this age are adverse to trying new things. Maybe slap a few stickers on the juice boxes if you are so inclined but if not, they are colorful enough. copy and paste our answers for the room Mom if you want. This time of year is hectic enough, I'm not sure why every freakin' event has to be an over the top party! Atleast that is how it seems some years.

Also, I'm a bit testy this time of year but it sure seems she's going for Room Mom of the year or something. Fortunately I had a great Co Room Mom for two years (2nd and 3rd grade) We were always thinking the simpler the better. The kids like it that way and we were trying to be as respectful of the parents time and generousity. There were creative parents who just naturally took the ball and ran with it which was great but we certainly didn't expect it.

SERIOUSLY??? The kids aren't going to give one patoot what their drink looks like. They're first graders. Why go to all that trouble?? Some people are just nuts.

I'd go with the juice boxes myself. They aren't going to appreciate anything that might be too strange, and you risk having them make a mess with open cups, etc. I know we all used to do it, but with budget cuts getting a room cleaned is hard all around.

I can sympathize. Our room mother (for 5th grade, mind you) asked for volunteers to MAKE THE CRAFT for the kids. Huh? She didn't get any takers btw.

I didn't read all of the responses so if this is a duplicate I apologize. A friend of mine gave me this idea for Valentine's day, but it could be used for Christmas too...she served her grandkids "majic milk"...all she did was put a couple drops of red food coloring in the glass without them seeing and when she poured the white milk it turned red when it hit the glass. You could use green too. Just take clear plastic cups. I think the kids would love it!! Good luck :o)

I would go with juice boxes, less messy!

I would make frozen koolaid in green and red. Fun ice cubes rock!

Also did you know that tonic water is black light sensitive? Yup! If you can have the room darkened to eat then see if you can bring in some black lights and give them flavored drinks with tonic water and light them up!

Or you can just freeze the tonic water...

If my second grader's room mom said that to me I'd be telling her to bring the drinks herself!!! You're really nice to even attempt to do something instead of juice boxes. I'm just shaking me head over here....

Oh, and I love your title by the way - made me laugh out loud.

I think your idea for hot cocoa, marshmallows and a candy cane is great! You could also take some Egg Nog ~ both my boys love the stuff and they are 7 and 3.

green sherbert mixed with gingerale is popular.

One and Dona and Katie said it for me! ha ha Your title made me laugh out loud, too!

R

GREEN hawaiian punch with dollops of orange sherbert in a punch bowl! My kids love it!!

wrap up the juice boxes as presents and put a little mini bow on it :) Room mom will have nothing to say for creative!

Ok, but as for another drink--you could do hot chocolate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, and the kids could drizzle chocolate syrup, marshmellows or sprinkles on top for a nice festive drink. Put in a candy cane as a stir stick and your set!

I would avoid anything with Red 40, whatever you do. Try to keep high fructose corn syrup out of whatever you bring as well. Your child's teacher will thank you. Those things are wretched and notorious for making children behave abysmally.

You could pick up a box or two of hot cocoa from Dunkin Donuts and a couple of boxes of minty candy candy canes to swirl in them and marshmallows. For anyone who doesn't like cocoa or is lactose intolerant, Capri Suns are perfect and don't cost much. They don't have dyes in them either.

EDIT: Just so you know, behavior isn't the only reason to avoid the Red 40. Some kids are sensitive enough to vomit from it. Green dye is another really bad culprit. Try to avoid highly dyed drinks as much as you can. They're just not a good idea at all. They're actually toxic.

This may be passive aggressive, but I would definitely bring either juice boxes or capri suns:-) Kids love those.
All the ideas here are really creative by the way and I would do them for the NEXT party.
Good Luck!!

and how does she expect you... to transport all this liquid genius outside the box, drink to school? Whether it is a hot or cold beverage?
And how does she expect you to keep the drinks, either hot/warm or cold????
Did she think of that?

That is why, parents often bring Capri Suns or juice boxes. Because, it transports easily and is in its own containers and clean that way. It is sealed individually and has its own straw. And it can be EASILY stored, in an ice-chest.

What about punch... and throw in some gummy candies or marshmallows. It will look festive and fun.
Make up a name for your FABULOUS CREATIVE concoction.
1st graders, should love that.
Unless she is anti-red dye and wants things all natural and organic.
Did you ask her???
Did she specify that "requirement" too?
And what "budget" did she specify for your creative drink concoction?

we do a punch that is a can of orange juice.. (follow the directions) and a package of Cherry koolaide (follow the directions).

Mix all together and it is really good.

Or you could do Apple cider.. just heat it up in a tall coffee maker.

Or pick a juice and add sparkling water or ginger ale.

I LOVE wrapping the juice boxes!!!! Yay! To look like presents??? Awesome. And there are milk boxes, too. If those were wrapped black and white (moooooooo) with red ribbon (or brown and white if you wanted chocolate milk).... and the others were red/green ??? Rockin!

I have tons of kids punch recipes ... but honestly... even w/ 10 kids there is going to be at least one spill, and I'd count on 3 or more with open cups.

How about make punch in a punchbowl and put in cherries and coconut and have some little Christmas things floating on top!

Maybe she's hoping for a little champagne punch?

Holy Cow! Wrapping the juice boxes like presents!! What a fabulous idea!!

Our preschool thanksgiving feast included a sherbet/7-up punch that the kids LOVED. And spilled, of course. :) You could add some fruit juice or punch for color.

The hot cocoa idea might not be as good for first graders if it is too hot - my son thinks even warm things are often too hot - and could take them by surprise, causing them to drop it or something. As a vegetarian, my son shouldn't have most marshmallows, but of course it's not like an allergy or anything and I know he'd reach for a handful.

How about you tell Classroom mom to get a life and stop trying to live it through her 6 yr old. Yikes! "Think outside the box"? For a 1st grade Christams party? Really? Clearly this mom will be one of those who'll have her daughter's obnoxious over-the-top sweet 16 party on a TV show. I would NOT have the time to wrap up 20 juice boxes - and even if I did have the time it's crazy. The 6 yr olds at the party will not care one tiny bit and will probably barely notice if what kind of drink they are getting or how it's being served. This is about the mom trying to exert her "authority". I have to say one of the best drinks I ever brought to my kids' elementary school party was when the juice bottles were left in the car trunk and got frosty - they were like drinking slushies and the kids loved them. but they were poured in to ordinary plastic cups. ;o)

In the scheme of things this is so un-important. Just enjoy your child - and take pictures.

You could take some rainbow sherbet and put a little (like a cookie dough scoop) in each cup and add some ginger ale or 7-up.....it would be a little frothy and festive looking and not too hard to do....because to use the raspberry-lime-orange sherbet for best color!

Stay away from red, a lot of the red dyes really effect kids behaviors.

I would look at the family fun website. They have the best stuff in the food sections.

Be sure and have unopened containers and open them all at the school. So many of the schools are requiring that everything for the kids be straight from the store due to the health code regulations. Even though your kitchen is probably clean you don't know what the other moms have had laying around on their kitchen counter tops.

I hope the party turns out wonderful.

I used to bring in hot chocolate and mini marshmallows. The kids loved it! We have a mom with an allergy child now. She wont allow hot chocolate.

How about some bubbly water with some cranberry juice or another juice to mix/sweeten it? Put a couple of fresh cranberries in the bottom if you need some extra "flair".

I would wonder why she didn't tell you what exactly she wanted if she didn't want the norm. Was there a reason she asked specifically for you to come up with something on your own? I'd be a bit lost too (I loved your title, by the way... don't you hate when someone wants you to just guess at what they are really thinking?)

FYI-- some kids may not be able to do hot cocoa due to lactose intolerence/high fructose corn syrup intolerences. The drink I suggested would likely not be a problem for any child.

Whatever you prepare (and your ideas souund fun, especially cocoa), be sure to bring some water bottles as backup drinks. Whatever is provided, some kids either won't like it or can't have it.

I'm kind of surprised she would make this call -- it's micromanaging, don't you think? I wonder if she also told the cookie making mom to check Martha Stewart for recipes for fabulous homemade cookies in 24 different shapes?....Just saying that it seems a bit excessive. Have fun with it but don't stress about. She's probably doing enough stressing for everyone....

I also love the idea of wrapping the juice boxes!! Truly, you have to minimize with these parties. You are going to be running really tight with all those activities for a first grade class that is easily distracted and over-excited.

When my kids were in middle school the popular "punch" at school parties was sprite with maraschino cherries in it!

You could do warm apple cider with red hot candies or cinnamon sticks in a crock pot. The kids love it and it smells up the whole room! Offer the candies on the side in case kids are sensitive to red dye?

Whatever you decide, don't let the uber-controlling room mom make you feel bad! You're doing great volunteering!

Take a huge punch bowl, dump sherbert of any kind and then sprite or 7 up. It even takes good when it melts so it can sit around for a while. You can add some sliced fruit for decoration if you want to go crazy

I feel for you. Those type of moms must not have a busy life or I am just not the creative type. You do what you want to do and don't worry about her. And don't let this spoil your time there by wondering if it was good enough for her. Just do your best and then let it go. You are not allowed to second guess yourself once it is over.

How bout sparkling cider? It is light in color (won't stain), and bubbly, refreshing and fun. You can use those plastic wine glasses to make it look fancy -or not, they might be easily spilled.... If there were Christmas themed plastic cups, that'd be nice.

I'm actually surprised they'd let you "make" something. Just remember first graders are clutzy, and to avoid the easily stainable drinks.

I would bring a handful of juice boxes anyway. There will be kids who are not willing to try something new or should not, due to risk of allergies.

I like the hot chocolate idea, too. I just keep thinking of those cute little Starbucks' kiddy cups and how nice that would be to have lids. Maybe ask if you can buy some cheap from them???

Get some fruit punch add some 7 up or sprite (or something simular) and chunks of friut. It is a fun and fruity drink.